Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelt differently and mean different things. For example: there and their, here and hear, to and too.

In the diary extract below, there are some homophones that are wrong. There are also some that are right. Can you correct the mistakes?

29 September 2004

Last night, I went out with my boyfriend, Steve, too Padstow. We fancied a break and a bit of piece and quiet but in the end it all went a bit pear-shaped. We’d planned to sit on the key, have a pasty and then go and have a few drinks at the pub.

Steve was messing about on the harbour’s edge and dropped his car keys in the water, witch was not good as he didn’t have a spare. I told him the best thing wood be to phone his dad but he wouldn’t hear of it. Instead, he stripped off and dived straight in! I couldn’t believe it.

Things went from bad to worse. Steve couldn’t find the keys anywhere – I new he wouldn’t be able to. The whether was wet and cold and it had got quite dark.

‘Help,’ called Steve, ‘I’m being dragged out by the currant!’ I yelled and yelled, but their was no-one around to hear me. I ran to the nearest pub and screamed that my boyfriend was drowning and everyone piled out to help. But by the time we got out, we couldn’t here Steve any more.

I stood there sobbing. I didn’t know what to do. But then someone shouted that they could see him swimming slowly back.

‘Wear?’ I cried.

‘Over there!’

It was Steve. Freezing cold and exhausted, but alive, which was the mane thing. What a peace of luck. That’s the last time we go to Padstow for a nice evening out.

Put a word in each gap. The answers are all pairs of homophones.

  1. I hate going ______town because there are ______many people.
  2. ______are lots of people at this college who are very well off. ______parents buy them cars, computers and mobile phones.
  3. When you drive through water, you should always check your ______. If a branch ______off a tree and falls in front of you, you’ll need to stop quickly.
  4. I’d like this one ______. How much is it? Can you speak up? I can’t ______you.
  5. He ate ten ______buns from the baker’s then fell into the harbour and was washed away by a strong ______.
  6. He was standing on the edge of the ______and then he dropped his ______s into the water.
  7. ______you like to come for a picnic at Cardinham ______s with me?
  8. Cut yourself a ______of cake and then sit down and enjoy five minutes’ ______and quiet.
  9. Hermione Granger is a wizard, not a ______. ______character in Harry Potter is your favourite?
  10. I don’t know ______I’ll come to the picnic or not. It will depend on the ______.
  11. ______are we going tonight? And what on earth shall I ______?
  12. The boy was looking after a ______of goats. When he cried ‘Wolf’ the first time, all the villagers ______him and came running to help.
  13. I ______the answers to all the questions and I got 100% in the test. That’s a ______experience for me!
  14. Her favourite clothes are an old ______of jeans. Her favourite fruit is a juicy ______.